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Surf’s up: Wave pool, Crystal Lagoon among plans unveiled at town hall for new $1B Rowlett development

A new developer, Sapphire Bay Land Development, unveiled plans Thursday, Aug. 8, for a $1 billion lakefront development in Rowlett. It will include a 6.5-acre Crystal Lagoon, a surf and beach club, and a 500-room resort hotel and conference center. (Sapphire Bay Land Development)

ROWLETT — The first major unveiling of plans for the new Sapphire Bay development along Lake Ray Hubbard late Thursday brought out a crowd that included super-psyched surfers and a scattering of skeptics.

And the latest iteration of the long-discussed and oft-questioned development received a generally positive reception.

City leaders and Sapphire Bay representatives throughout the evening repeated the phrase “destination venue,” as they shared their vision for the ambitious $1 billion, beach-based, mixed-use development. They said they hope the development will be a regional and national draw for tourism, conventions and surfers who wouldn't normally flock to land-locked North Texas.

Asa Cascavilla, a Hawaii native and Rowlett resident since 2002, said he was “blown away” by the proposal.

Cascavilla, 43, who operates apartments in the Dallas area, surfed competitively growing up. He and several other surfing buddies said they were thrilled with the news that the Sapphire Bay development calls for a Crystal Lagoon — a giant vinyl-lined pool that simulates a beach — and a wave pool for all skill levels that officials promised would draw surfers from around the world.

“There are legit, world-class level surfers who cannot wait to come to Rowlett,” said John Hughes, who leads the VenuBlue team that would operate the surf and beach club portion of the development.

The unveiling came a week after the city closed the sale of approximately 119 acres of land, including a deep-water marina, located south of Interstate 30 at Dalrock Road to Sapphire Bay Land Development, led by Kent Donahue, a local real estate developer who was previously tied to the project.

Amenities

Phase One of the project, scheduled to be completed by Dec. 31, 2023, would include building Crystal Lagoon along with the surf-and-beach park, the hotel and conference center and the infrastructure. A water park with a lazy river also is planned.

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The 6.5-acre Crystal Lagoon is not for swimming, but it includes a fountain with synchronized water and video show. Visitors would be able to rent paddle boats, kayaks or take rides on boats. The plans also call for an island on the lagoon that could hold up to 200 people. It could be used for weddings, business retreats or other large events, Donahue said.

A new developer, Sapphire Bay Land Development, unveilled plans Thursday, Aug. 8, for a $1 billion lakefront development in Rowlett, which will include a 6.5-acre Crystal Lagoon, a surf and beach club, and a 500-room resort hotel and conference center.(Sapphire Bay Land Development)

A 500-room resort hotel and conference center would anchor the development. The project would also include 1,600 residential units such as townhouses and condominiums and 1.4 million square feet of commercial space, including office towers, shops and restaurants.

“It’s really incredible all the amenities that Sapphire Bay will offer — and yes, Sapphire Bay does include the Crystal Lagoon,” Mayor Tammy Dana-Bashian said, leading off the two-hour presentation.

Take two

Sapphire Bay marks Rowlett’s second official stab at the project, which the city has long eyed for the prime tract of land on a peninsula jutting into Lake Ray Hubbard. In March 2018, the city announced a series of development agreements with Bayside Land Partners to make the vision a reality.

But the city and the developer soon found themselves at odds over the plans.

Rowlett leaders became upset when the developers declined to build the project they envisioned, including the Crystal Lagoon, and they eventually sued Bayside. The developer argued the council's dreams weren't feasible and didn't match market demands.

Bayside, after briefly battling to turn public opinion in its favor, sold the land and marina back to the city. The $39 million purchase became official Aug. 1.

Donahue was the original lead developer for Bayside but left the project in early 2018. Residents who showed up for the town hall Thursday welcomed him back with applause.

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In an interview, Donahue said he remains convinced the project can be a success because it won’t be a typical hotel and convention site. “It’s a different development philosophy,” he said.

“From a destination standpoint, I don’t think you can find a better piece of real estate in the United States — 15 miles outside a major metropolitan area and at the intersection of major freeways and a peninsula on a lake,” he said.

Rowlett Mayor Tammy Dana-Bashian has remained committed to a planned development that will feature a Crystal Lagoon, a surf and beach club, and a show fountain along with a 500-room resort hotel and conference center. (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Dana-Bashian touted the project as an economic generator that would improve the city's economy with new jobs, housing, tourism and other business opportunities.

The mayor also lauded the City Council for its “unwavering commitment to develop the unique destination. ” Even when Bayside, the previous development partner, “proposed unacceptable changes to our previously shared vision, we held strong to the original vision,” the mayor said.

During a question-and-answer period, several residents asked about how strongly committed the developer was to the project, with one resident saying he felt “cautious optimism” that the project would proceed as planned this time.

Donahue said the development and its investors are “fully committed” to the vision for the project.

“Our goal at Sapphire Bay is to provide residents, visitors and guests with a destination where they can be entertained, a destination where they can connect with others, friends and family, and a destination where you can just relax and enjoy the view, if that's what you're looking for,” Donahue said.

David Tarrant. Enterprise writer at The Dallas Morning News.
Telling stories about ordinary people involved in extraordinary events is his passion. He has written about soldiers returning home from war and the mental health crisis facing young people. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., he remains obsessively curious about Texans and the Lone Star State culture.